20191120: Shampeachment ~ Testimony of Gordon Sondland

Are you ready? Only Gordon Sondland will testify today, and he is a key player in the whole Schiff Circus. He spoke to the President on 5 occasions, at least that is what we are being told. After yesterday, we can expect the Dems to try to make up some lost ground. Oh, and don’t spend all your energy here ——- there is a Dem Debate tonight.

Yesterday, ThinkThinkThink passed me this photo and it’s perfect for today. Members of the swamp, all having fun together.

Testimony will be streamed from same places as yesterday.

Thought I would take this opportunity to tell you a little more about Gordon Sondland, the US Ambassador to the EU.

“Power couple” Gordon Sondland and Katy Durant

Gordon Sondland was born in 1957, based in Portland Oregon, born in Seattle, founder of Provenance Hotels and co-Founder of Merchant Bank Aspen Capital. He’s a multi-multi-millionaire, if not a billionaire. Interesting – he dropped out of University of Washington to start the real estate biz —- he did well. His parents were Jewish and escaped the Nazis. He’s been married to Katherine (Katy) for decades and their charitable foundation, which supports families, has been active since 1999. Until 2016, Durant was the Chairperson of the Oregon Investment Council, the body that oversees the over $85 billion Public Employees Retirement System Fund.[68] They have two children, Max and Lucy.

Sondland has been enormously successful renovating older downtown buildings and turning them into fabulous gems from Denver to Seattle, to Los Angeles and back again. A project like The Old Post Office in DC, would have been Sondland’s dream come true. When he was appointed as Ambassador to the EU, his wife took his place as Chairman of the Hotel Company.

There is a lot of speculation about how loyal Sondland will be to President Trump. Let’s look at Sondland’s political history to see if we can discern how he “leans”.

Sondland was a member of the transition team for OregonDemocraticGovernorTed Kulongoski‘s administration and was appointed by Kulongoski to serve on the board of the Governor’s Office of Film & Television.

Sondland also served as Oregon liaison to the White House. (Under Bush)

April 2017, it was revealed that 4 companies registered to Sondland donated $1 million to the Donald Trump inaugural committee.

On March 12, 2018, the Wall Street Journal reported that President Trump selected Sondland to be the next United States ambassador to the European Union. (Confirmed June 28th, 2018)

Both Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) testified in support of Sondland.[33] Sen. Wyden suggested that Sondland’s “family history is both fascinating and instructive as to why he has the experience and understanding to serve as the U.S. Ambassador to the E.U.,” noting how his Jewish parents fled Nazi Germany before coming to the United States.

Sondland served as Co-chair raising funds for the George Bush Center.

Sondland has served as Trump Admin lead for coraling EU nations for Iran Sanctions, the SPV vehicle which skirts US sanctions, and has been a vocal critic of the Nord Stream Pipeline.

Because Ukraine (allegedly) wants to enter the EU, Sondland would be the primary lead guy in charge of Ukraine policy. Bill Taylor would answer to Sondland. Volker would answer to Sondland. There are two text message exchanges we will probably see today. Here they are.

Ukraine Bill Taylor: [12:47:11 AM] Bill Taylor: “As I said on the phone, I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.” This was seen as the “set-up” text message. It came AFTER the Politico article was released, and Taylor already knew the premise was bogus. Yet, here, he is trying to trap Sondland.

It took Sondland approximately 5 hours to reply to Taylor’s text message (because Taylor sent the message a 1:00am in the damn morning), and it was later revealed that Sondland had called Trump prior to writing a response, in which the president repeated the phrase “no quid pro quo” several times. Sondland responds:

[9/9/2019, 5:19:35 AM] Gordon Sondland: Bill, I believe you are incorrect about President Trump’s intentions. The President has been crystal clear no quid pro quo’s of any kind. The President is trying to evaluate whether Ukraine is truly going to adopt the transparency and reforms that President Zelensky promised during his campaign I suggest we stop the back and forth by text If you still have concerns I recommend you give Lisa Kenna or S a call to discuss them directly. Thanks

Wiki

On November 5, the New York Times reported that Sondland had provided updated testimony stating that he did in fact view delivery of the aid package as contingent upon the Ukrainian government publicly opening an investigation of Trump’s political rivals as desired by the President. According to the testimony, he relayed this position to Ukrainian government officials. (note the phrasing from the NYTimes – it could be that the President merely wanted corruption from 2016 and Burisma and origins of the 2016 election investigated ——– which happen to be the Bidens)

Fiona Hill created the theme of “The Sondland Problem” whereby she chastised Sondland for pushing more investigations. “The Sondland Problem” was a trending topic on Twitter, yesterday.

The press has been after Sondland as well. They interviewed his general contractor who is renovating his personal residence. No kidding. And the press criticized Sondland for spending over $250K on the renovation of his kitchen. Word to the wise, if Big T was a billionaire – and as much as I love to cook – I could easily spend a MILLION dollars on our kitchen. Besides, it’s Sondland’s own money.

Here, we see Sondland standing next to Secretary of Energy, Rick Perry. Sondland has done a good job for the Trump Admin and probably NEVER expected this kind of scrutiny. The left will be desperate to disparage Sondland…. it’s there best chance for something substantive. Let’s hope he can withstand the barrage.

Sondland will only be available in the morning/early afternoon session. At 2:30pm Laura Cooper, Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary for Ukrainian and Eurasian affairs and David Hale, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs. We’ll do a seperate thread for them.

….Every penny of Ukraine monetary aid, the alleged carrot dangled before Zelensky, was spent on time, according to law, before, during, and after the July 25 call.

The Department of Defense certified Ukraine reforms in a May 23, 2019 letter from John C. Rood to Congress, but this certification was only necessary to release the second $125-million tranche…. So what happened to the first $125 million? It was already spent on Ukraine before the July 25 phone call with Zelensky.

He [Rood] informed Congress the Pentagon was going ahead with this money for Ukraine. It was spent by July to defend Ukraine from Russian aggression. This is the real reason why neither Zelensky nor any other Ukraine official knew that assistance was “held up.” ….

The Pentagon began spending the first tranche upon Rood’s February 28th letter to Congress, and the $125 million was spent by July.

The AP article also notes that only the second tranche required DoD certification.….

WHY DID THE SECOND TRENCH NEED CERTIFICATION?

The statute authorizing security assistance requires Ukraine to crack down on corruption so our money doesn’t end up in the pockets of oligarchs. It mandates:

The certification described in this paragraph … by the Secretary of Defense … that the Government of Ukraine has taken substantial actions to make defense institutional reforms … for purposes of decreasing corruption … and sustaining improvements of combat capability … shall include an assessment of the substantial actions taken to make such defense institutional reforms and the areas in which additional action is needed[.]

The only funds held back throughout this ordeal were accomplished by congressional enactment, not executive discretion. Trump never impounded Ukraine funds. It’s a myth based on a verbal typo. Weeding out corruption in Ukraine is a primary focus of this statute, and when Trump refers to holding back money from Ukraine, it’s to this statute he obviously makes reference.

POTUS had no legal mechanism available to rescind (cut) or defer (set aside), Ukraine security assistance without sending a special message asking Congress for legislative approval. This never happened….

Delays getting the rest of the money to Ukraine resulted from statutorily mandated reviews of apportionments and reapportionments. Thirty-one USC 1512(d) states:

(d) An apportionment or a reapportionment shall be reviewed at least 4 times a year by the official designated in section 1513 of this title to make apportionments.

Not a bad day.
Schiff ran to the microphone again……… before cross examination where Sondland revealed never tied to any aid, and all speculation that the WH meeting and Zelinsky announcement being tied to delay in aid was because of his PRESUMPTION.
Hammered home with Trump’s own words, “I want nothing. I want nothing. No quid pro quo. Tell Zelinsky to do the right thing, what he ran on.”

The one benefit to two-a-days in Adam Schiff's Impeachment Committee is the chance for the American people to hear AGAIN that Ukraine aid under President Trump was VERY ROBUST – in large part due to the delivery of lethal defensive weapons not delivered under the Obama admin. pic.twitter.com/WhTYrElzUA

Ok guys, after doing some listening and doing some serious contemplation, I have come to the conclusion that Soundland was a trap…for the DEMS. Bear with me.

First Soundland gives a behind closed door testimony totally vindicating the President, NO quid pro quo, and his text verifying that with Taylor comes out. Dems and Schiff are PISSSED. Then, out of NOWHERE, Soundland “suddenly” amends his closed door testimony citing “new facts” that caused him to rethink his “original” position and that he now believed that there was a quid pro quo.

Well, NOW Schiif and the Dems LOVE him, and the put him into the lineup for their televised scam, which I would bet my Gopher suit on that he would NOT have been anywhere NEAR if he had not altered his testimony to “fit” the dem narrative. Schiff makes him the “golden boy” and gives him the ENTIIRE morning alone.

Soundland gives a 45 minute, 23 page, opening statement, CONVENIENTLY highlighting ALL the dems wet dream list, Rudy, Trump, Pence, Pompeo, EVERYONE the dems in their wettest dreams want to oust. Soundland ominously FORGETS to include in the rambling speech THE smoking guy that EXONERATES Trump, the direct statement that Trump told him he wanted NOTHING from Ukraine, and that there would be NO quid pro quo. and that ALL he wanted was Zelensky to do the RIGHT thing, and follow through on his promises. Zelensky ran and WON on an Anti corruption platform and PROMISED to clean it ALL up.

SO we move on, and the dems and Schiff, who would NOT ask, for the exculpatory evidence, and were too STUPID to think it was NOT there proceeded to “question” Soundland on EXACTLY what THEY wanted to hear, and, absent cross, and the RIGHT questions being asked, Soundland complied.

Well he said he PRESUMED that there was in fact a quid pro quo for aid to the Ukraine, and not ONE dem thought to ask IF he had evidence. Nope, that was good enough, they got their soundbite. Breathless MSM pudits, including the never Trumpers on Fox could not contain their orgasmic fantasies…they FINALLY got him.

Hell, Schiff then could not contain himself, he called for a break, one which Soundland obviously was saying WHAT to. Schiff, after a short delay, probably to jerk off in the bathroom, sprinted to the Cameras and announced, matter of factly, We got him…Trump was guilty of bribery, quid pro quo, extortion, treason, and using the wrong sunscreen. Trump also wore white on the golfcourse AFTER Labor day…the HORROR.

One problem for Schitt…er I mean Schiff. He spiked the ball at HALFTIME. Schiff forgot there are TWO haves to the game, they appeared to “win” the first half, but the Republicans refocused at halftime, and came out on FIRE in the second half and SWAMPED Soundland, the Dems, Sciff, and their wet dream narrative.

Rep Turner DESTROYED the game, hitting the hole and scoring a 99 yd TD on the first play from scrimmage. He got Soundland to not only admit that the whole quid pro quo narrative involving Trump was his PRESUMPTION, but that NO ONE on the PLANET had told him that there was ANY request for or returned favor for the aid to the Ukraine. It would get WORSE.

Jim Jordan then dropped back and through an 80 yard BOMB getting Soundland to not only state that in the call with Trump that Trump EXPRESSLY told Soundland that there would be NO quid pro quo, but that he wanted NOTHING in return.

Now the the Republicns had gained the lead, and the dems were shell shocked. Elise Sefanik then took a short swing pass, and ran 75 yards for yet another rscore when she got Soundland to admit that there was NO ONE that tied the aid to Ukraine to ANY meeting OR statement.

Rep Radcliff then capped the epic comeback and blowout by Having Soundland confirm again that there was NO quid, pro or quo. GAME over, that is why you do not call the game at half time Schitt..er Schiff.

Now on to the trap part. Rush revealed that Soundland and his wife were the victims of Dem intimidation in Oregon, obviously that is WHY he “amended” his original testimony, the dems thought he was now THEIRS. Just as planned.

Wait, WHAT!? You mean that Soundland is actually team Trump? Yep, and ALWAYS has been. Soundland donated OVER 1 million dollars to the Trump inauguration. Soundland was IN ON the trap. Taylor was the one that TRIED to get Soundland to incriminate Trump in that text, and Soundland REFUTED it all right there.

The dems then did what dems do, knowing that Soundland was the ONLY one of this crew that ACTUALLY did speak directly to Trump, they needed him to flip, or else ALL of the other “witnesses” were USELESS. Soundland “flipped” just as they hoped, and amending his original testimony, to fit the dem narrative. The dems THOUGHT their pressure had worked. See, they completely ignored his TEXT with Taylor. They would not get Soundland for PERJURY, because you do NOT get to amend sworn testimony 180 degrees without MAJOR repercussions, unless you are a dem or “helping” a dem narrative.

They ALLOWED Soundland to amend, and notice, before NOW, the Republicans NEVER objected…and THAT is the tell. They KNEW Soundland would exonerate the President under cross, and it would DESTROY the dem shampeachment. When Schiff skiked the ball at halftime, I bet they could not believe their LUCK and Schiff’s stupidity.

They GOT them folks, the dems were, noticeably SHOCKED on what Soundland HAPPILY revealed under Republican cross. They did NOT know what hit them. Just as planned. I told you all a few days ago that THIS was showtime, and that someone would “Flip” and exonerate POTUS…it was Soundland.

What to know how I think this entire thing was part of the plan and a setup? Trump himself, AGAIN, told us. Recall that DIRECT conversation with Soundland, which is TRANSCRIBED somewhere, you can BANK on it.

Soundland made SURE to as the RIGHT question. ” there are rumors…about Ukraine…just WAHT DO YOU WANT FROM THEM?.

Trump POUNCED, as planned. I WANT NOTHING…There will be NO quid pro quo, I don’t want anything from Ukraine, I just want Zelisky to do the RIGHT thing and follow through on HIS promises( to weed out corruption in Ukraine). That was the MONEY shot.

Why would Trump EXPLICITLY use the words quid pro quo with Ukraine, I want nothing would suffice…but NO he EXPLICITLY said NO quid pro quo. Trump NEVER used that, and WHY would he? he was NOT accused at that time, he did not even know this was coming…or DID he.

If I am right, and I think I am, Trump, Soundland, Rudy, and others like Pompeo, Barr, and maybe even Durham set up the corrupt players like Ciaramella, Schiff, Pelosi, Vidlnad, Yovanovich, Taylor AND revealed Biden and the dem corruption in Ukraine in one fell swoop. This will probably net Victoria Nuland, John Kerry, Johnathan Winer, and Alexandra Chalupa as well.

See, the dems and Cabal FORGOT that there has been and STILL is an ONGOING “leaks” investigation…they KNEW who the leakers were. They set a TRAP and that trap netted them WAY more than the leakers, it will take out a few BIG pieces like Pelosi, Kerry, and Schiff. Biden is GRAVY, he leads to the WH.

If you STILL think I’m crazy…riddle me this..what ELSE happened today…Ukraine INDICTED the president of Burisma. Ukraine TODAY had MP’s ASK for help in finding a missing 7.4 BILLION in aid from the US (IMF). There are NO coincidences.

Want more fuel? I was listening to Greg Jarrett. It was exactly 55 days on the “hold” on Ukrainian aid. it was released on SEPT 11 2019. No coincidenc there right 55= 5×5. Who said that? Oh right, Q…He also said enjoy the show.

I am Q..GREATLY. I cannot wait till we get to the CLIMAX. It will be must see TV. It will be public and undeniable. just as planned. I cannot wait for scene TWO, coming shortly (horrowitz) and then scene THREE starring Durham.

Spot on analysis. So many dots connected…with known facts, logically and reasonable conclusions.

In my mind I keep hearing President Trump last rally had thre distinct statements I had not heard spoken together, the third, never heard. President trump says, I broke the Bush Dynasty. I broke the Clinton Dynasty. then, went on to say, he xxx the Obama Gang.
– Many of the Obama Gang cited above.
– Me thinks, as you indicated above, Horowitz IG on FISA and Durham delivering indictments will have the Obama Gang cascading down bigly.
– Along with many IC, FIB, DOJ…
– AND, private citizens, me thinks.

Tucker Carlson just noted, all four Sondland atty’s are Dem donors.
Raskin, sitting next to Sondland, donated 130K to Dems.
Speculation the Dem lawyers wrote Sondland’s opening statement. I would have my atty’s write my opening = that would make sense to do.

Agreed. My parallel version is this. We nailed who the leakers were a while back, including Windbag and Charlie the Tuna, but – as you say – realized it was WAY BIGGER – not just leaks, but YUGE, and included foreign bribery, etc. Biden, Obama, Jarrett.

THEN – when the DEMS tried to SET UP TRUMP via SONDLAND (with that text from Taylor), Trump and Q team figured (or already knew) that was part of the DEM PLOT.

They told Sondland there was no QPQ, but had him just play along, like FLYNN did. Just tell Sondland to do the right thing – the rest will be taken care of.

wolf, “Wicked conniving Dems”…I honestly think these vermin have been following orders for long, for $$, they have altogether forgotten how to think.
They are stuck in a sort of micro-managing reactive/response mode, unable to analyze or absorb reality.
It’s rather heartening that our few White Hats seem to be getting sharper.
These “hearings” are developing into quite the mismatch, in a sort of perverse, entertaining fashion.

YW, the Gregg Jarrett interview and thinking about just WHY Trump used the EXACT wording in his call to Sondland that the dems would later try to nail him with, made me put two and two together. NO ONE not even Trump uses that phrase, the last time I had heard it besides HS was in Silence of the Lambs,,,quid pro quo Clarice…

I was thinking somewhat along the same lines — but hardly as thoroughly as you 🙂 — as I watched testimony here on BBC Parliament.

Yet, when I watched the late night news yesterday on ITV, the reporter said the opposite. Basically, Sondland had effectively sealed the impeachment deal and that Trump was now in very deep doo indeed. I couldn’t understand that, yet my far better half agreed with the news report (BBC must have said the same thing), not having watched three hours of testimony.

I am so grateful for these threads, because otherwise I would be doubting my sanity.

Dems keep hammering that DoD completed its certification in May so Trump had no reason to withhold aid. BUT DoD only certified defense issues NOT corruption issues. Dems are failing desperately trying to get these folks to say POTUS is bad. Cooper won’t do it, she’ll only comment on actions that she knows about. Howell is the same, offering no opinions. Again, why are they here, they have NO DIRECT EVIDENCE!

This is the exact same M.O. that Obama used to SHAKE DOWN KEYSTONE PIPELINE!!!

Obama shook down the pipeline forces by getting them to hire Sidley Austin – his old Chicago law firm – to try to get the approval. They spent an UNGODLY amount of money, and all they got was STRUNG ALONG.

Stepped out and came back at the end where Schiff was once again denying the witnesses that Republicans requested. He also refused over and over and over to recognize R’s many point of orders. That’s not allowed, all PoO’s MUST be recognized!!

Ukraine policy by State and DOD is clear to me.
The will not stop until they rebuild the entire American Army on Russia’s border… and they want us to pay for it.
We’re supposed to defend Ukraine “from Russian Aggression”, but it’s okay not to allocate funds to our southern border and defend the USA homeland.
These people make me sick.

So, Cooper gives her opening statement which jives with her deposition. Then she drops a hearsay bomb. 🙄 At the end she mentions two emails that she said her staff received and recently informed her about. Both contained statements that the Ukraine Embassy was asking about the money on July 25 and that “The Hill” also knew. She has no more information than that…More last minute conspiracy??🤷‍♀️
Dems and MSM are now blasting headlines that “Pentagon Official claims Ukraine knew about the hold on July 25”. (Instead of August 28 from Politico article). Republicans tried to probe, but she had no more information. We need more information. President Zelensky did not ask about a hold on the July 25 phone call and has said he didn’t know about it.

Media ran with it.
Of course.
And Ratcliff successfully destroyed her premise.
Again, she heard it from a friend….. who had a conversation…….. at a party…… with an unknown Ukrainian………. about 4 months ago.

My bet is that this Schiff show will go on as long as the Democrats think that they need to go to completely (in their little minds) discredit Trump. Whpen the hearings start in the Senate, I expect them to go until the six presidential hopefuls have no hope.

My real hope is that the Republicrats take this gift of a standard and apply it to every incoming Democrat president-elect. They need to draw up articles of impeachment before the numb nuck gets a chance to plan his (or her) inauguration. There needs to be no more rolling over and playing nice like they did for Obama.